Posted 3 years ago on Dec. 10, 2011, 6:12 p.m. EST by Restorefreedomtoall1776
(272)
from Bayonne, NJ
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

The ghost of George Washington stands on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building and raises his right arm, with sword in hand..... the same sword held aloft when his army won the Battle of Trenton during the hard winter of 1776. He says, "Will you step forward to help save the Republic, won with the blood, sweat, and tears of brave men and women of the Revolutionary War? Or will you let it be taken from you by those unworthy ones who now inhabit these sacred halls?"

Well said! Our current politicians on both sides are a disgrace to this great nation. For decades they have neglected their duty to protect the interest of the American people and have allowed corruption to be institutionalized into our political process. Here's my 2 cent's:

There are a lot of improvements that need to be made. The list reforms people Americans want to see is long and varied depending on who you talk to. That said, I believe there is one reform that would provide the American people the best chances of seeing other meaningful reforms actually happen - that is REAL, loop-hope free CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM! I have seen others on this site calling this the "fulcrum" or pivotal issue. Right now the current legalized bribery, pay-to-play system of campaign donations and paid lobbyists has disenfranchised the American voter. Until this is fixed, any other reform the politicians may try to placate us with (be it a change to healthcare, clamping down predatory school loans, new financial regulations, etc.) will be about as effective as a farmer putting a new roof on his CHICKEN COOP, but still letting the FOX guard it.

We need to go back to the original political currency. Instead of the current system of who can collect the most money from corporations and special interests it should be who has the BEST IDEAS to EFFECTIVELY RUN THE COUNTRY (we don't need "Wealth Redistribution," what we need is "Political Influence Redistribution")!

For the sake our our children and future generations of Americans, we need to take back our democracy from the rich and powerful who are using their vast sums of money to "speak" as if they represent millions of Americans. This "Corporate Personhood" that has crept into our laws is allowing them to manipulating our policies in their favor at the expense of the average American (the recent "Citizens United" Supreme Court ruling is a miscarriage of justice and must be reversed. The $50 or $100 a normal American may give to a political campaign becomes meaningless when corporations or other special interests are handing our millions to buy political access to the decision making process.

For decades now the corporations and special interests have had our "representatives" bought and paid for (both on the right and the left). Concentrating our efforts on getting the money out of our politics is the best way we can create an environment in which further reforms can be realized. Until we end the current system of legalized bribery (campaign donations) and paid lobbying our politicians will continue to be the LAP DOGS of the corporations and special interests. What we need first and foremost is real, loop-hole free CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM!!!! If the corruption is not dealt with first, the chance of any other meaningful reforms becoming a reality is almost zero - the special interests will just use their money to buy votes and put forward bills that create loop-holes or otherwise twist the law in their favor. If we want our children to live in a country where there vote matters, we need to get the money out of our politics, otherwise they will increasingly become the 21st century version of the "landless peasant." Spread the word - End the LEGALIZED BRIBERY!!! CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM needs to be THE main goal of the protests!!!

Well said, but campaign finance reform just isn't enough. After they get the job the influence peddling just continues. Jobs, insider trading consulting, honorariums, buying the rest of the family and friends the list is long. We have to get ALL of the money and influence out of governance, as well.

I totally agree with you - the list is endless. My point is that CFR is where it starts because a lot of the reforms that need to happen will require real statesmen and women to be elected. It is next to impossible to get any real reforms when they are bought and paid for. I believe the chance of other reforms coming to pass will increase exponentially if we can level the playing field.

I don't think you can get the money out of elections unless you have an amendment. If you are going to pass an amendment it should include getting it out of state and local elections and while you are at it, clean up the lobbying and other types of corruption. Congress will try to do it by statute like they did the regulations of the SEC and CFTC, and guess what, nobody goes to jail.

I agree. I think it will take an Amendment that will have to be comprehensive. State and local elections would be nice, but any step in the right direction would be nice. I think the movement is missing a big opportunity by not solidifying around the issue.

Oh, I think they are and when Congress starts playing with these the awareness and activity will pick up, we can't afford to have in not be comprehensive because it is too difficult to do. Apparently we also need to specify the ethics rules for the Supreme Court, what with Scalia paling around with the Koch brothers and Thomas's wife's PAC taking funding from them.

Let's keep our fingers crossed. I have several acquaintances that seem to have come around recently. FYI - Good book if you have not seen it yet. "Republic: Lost" by Lawrence Lessig. Just out - talks about the way the money corrupts and the recent fall out due to Citizens United.

i have stepped forward. i have done everything humanly possible. but instead of listening to me and others like me and helping me to get this done, fucktard rebels without a clue have occupied ports instead of wikis.

I'm putting in 8 and 12 hour days for three months into this and its all wasted time, because nobody wants to pull their head out of their occuass.